IAF, ITBP adjudged best contingents at Republic Day parade

The defence ministry announced the awards, in which the IAF and ITBP came on the top of the tri-services and paramilitary marching contingents respectively. The awards will be presented by Defence Minister A.K. Antony in the capital.

"The Indian Air Force has won the best marching contingent award among the three Services at this year's Republic Day parade while the Indo-Tibetan Border Police has been adjudged the best among the paramilitary and other auxiliary marching contingents," a defence ministry release said.

The Delhi state tableau will receive the first prize among the 23 tableaux of state governments and central ministries that rolled down the capital's main thoroughfare. The Delhi tableau had cultural and religious harmony as its theme.

The Karnataka tableau with exotic handicraft of Bidriware from Bidar region of the state and Jammu and Kashmir tableau portraying the Bhand Pather folk theatre from the Kashmir valley won the second and third prizes respectively.

Among the five cultural items by school children in the parade, which had Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as the chief guest, Punjab's Bhangra dance performed by kids from the Patiala-based North Zone Cultural Centre was adjudged the best.

'Rangeelo Rajasthan', presented by the Government Girls Senior Secondary School from Amalwas in Delhi, got a consolation prize.